Secretary-General,
Madam Deputy Secretary-General,
Members of staff of the Secretariat,
Colleagues,

It is a great honour for me to have been appointed by Prime Minister David Thompson to be Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM and to be welcomed formally today into the CARICOM family.

Let me begin by underlining Barbados’ unwavering commitment to the regional integration movement. Most recently, at his inaugural speech at the 19th Intersessional Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads, Prime Minister Thompson made clear from the outset that:

“the government and people of Barbados remain resolutely committed to the ideals, principles and business of the Caribbean Community.”

Prime Minister Thompson echoed in this regard what has been a key element of Barbados’ vision of the world in the almost forty-two years of our post-independence history. Looking back in time, in 1986, in his last speech to the CARICOM Heads of Government, the Right Excellent Errol Barrow spoke of:

“… the absolute necessity to promote and defend the solidarity of this regional Caribbean family. And also the absolute obligation to discover those strategies and mechanisms which will ultimately lead to unity of action in all major areas of our economic, social and political life.”

I believe that those obligations, so forcefully set out by one of this Community’s founding fathers, still exist today. I can assure you that I will do my utmost to live up to these high standards.

As you all know, Barbados’ Prime Minister has assumed the mantle of leadership with respect to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. It has been and continues to be our firm conviction that the successful implementation of the CSME is critical to the sustainable development of the individual member states of CARICOM but, equally, to the sustainable development of the community as a whole.

But as Prime Minister Barrow said 22 years ago:

“… we have a cultural history, a common experience of feeling which goes deeper and is much older than CARICOM and the negotiations about trade.”

That feeling will fuel CARIFESTA which takes place here in Guyana later this year and which, in my view, plays a critical role in promoting and strengthening the bonds among us.

I also believe that the discussion going on in our community relating to food security is of vital importance.

The Agriculture Investment Forum which is being held here today and tomorrow is a great opportunity for the region to make the most of the competitive advantage of its member states. Clearly, countries such as Guyana and others can play a key part in enhancing the region’s food security, creating sustainable livelihoods and addressing the growing concerns regarding the cost of living in general and the cost of food in particular.

I would like to conclude, Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, colleagues, by saying to you that I envisage my function as having two parts. One part involves being Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM. The other is, in effect, to be CARICOM’s Ambassador to Barbados. The task of the Secretariat is a complex one and I think that part of my responsibility is to help you carry out the many mandates you are given. In that regard, Secretary-General, you may rely on my unbending support.

I thank you.